FAA: Delays At Logan In Mass. Due To Shutdown

My fiancé and I are hopping on a plane and heading to my cousin's wedding in Denver on Thursday - that is our plan, anyway. The recent government shutdown - the longest in history - has got us worried, however about flight delays or, at worst, cancellations.

Sometimes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) puts out a delay advisory. This is like a warning that flights will be late. It helps keep everyone safe by slowing things down when there's a problem.

FAA says expect flight delays

On Monday, according to the Boston Globe, the FAA has a delay advisory for planes flying into Logan. Flights are delayed by about 33 minutes on average. The main reason? Staffing issues. There aren't enough air traffic controllers or other workers to handle all the planes quickly. These controllers are like the traffic cops of our skies. They tell pilots when to take off, land, or wait.

Just because flights landing at Logan are delayed doesn't necessarily mean flights taking off are all good - just the opposite will likely be the case as the plane your boarding is likely to have just landed an hour before.

Why the staffing issues?

Many point to the government shutdown. Workers haven't gotten paychecks, so some are calling in sick or quitting. This makes it hard to guide planes safely. A similar advisory happened just a day or two ago, and delays hit over two hours at times. -wcvb.com

There's also runway work at Logan. One runway, called 9-27, is closed until mid-November for safety fixes required by the FAA. With fewer runways open, planes stack up like cars in traffic. This causes extra delays, especially in the afternoon and evening.

If you have a scheduled flight - what should you do?

Check your flight status with the airline often. Arrive early, pack snacks, and be patient. The FAA uses tools like ground delay programs to hold planes at other airports instead of circling in the air. This saves fuel and keeps the skies safer.